Kaliya is a mutton preparation with gravy along with the compulsory inclusion of turmeric or saffron. It is a preparation commonly served at lunch or dinner or both. To create novelty in this popular dish some variations have been devised by the cooks of Awadh, for instance Mahi Kaliya, Chandi Kaliya and the unbeatable Kundan Kaliya. The latter is a delicacy designed by the bawarchis and rakabdars to please their Nawabs. The use of gold leaf in this dish lends a touch of luxury to it. The carefully carved mutton pieces wrapped in gold leaf, placed on a bed of rich gravy shimmering with gold amalgamated in it, is a stimulant for jaded appetites.
 

Shami Kabab

A formal spread in any Nawabi banquet of a nawab in Awadh was considered incomplete without the inclusion of the Shami Kabab, an important constituent of the "Tora" (presentation of food). It would be no exaggeration to say that it was the `National' kabab of Awadh. Made from mince meat, the kababs are round patties filled with spicy surprises and the tangy `kairi' or raw green mango. So ideally the best time of the year to have these kababs is around the month of May when the fruit of the mango tree is in its infancy. In other seasons the kairi can be substituted with `kamrakh' or `karonda' both having a tart flavour reminiscent of the raw mango. If none of these are available then one can make do with the juice of lime squeezed into the mince paste. The texture of the kabab is extremely soft and simply melts in the mouth.

Kakori Kabab

The seekh has long been considered a piece de resistance in the Awadhi dastarkhwan. The beautifully executed kabab is what every Lucknowi is proud of. The seekh kabab, introduced in this region by the Mughals, was originally prepared from beef mince on skewers and cooked on charcoal fire. But later influences and innovations led to the use of lamb mince which was preferred for its soft texture. Besides, serving it on the dastarkhwan did not offend the sensibilities of the Hindu guests. The immense popularity of this kabab led to further refinements and improvements and one bawarchi from Kakori found much acclaim for his efforts in this direction. Kakori is a small hamlet on the outskirts of Lucknow, in the Lucknow-Malihabad mango belt. During the freedom struggle, it become well-known for the famous `Kakori Case' when a band of freedom fighters looted the train carrying the British Treasury money at this obscure place. In the same period of British rule, it was also customary in this region for the rich Rajas and Nawabs to entertain senior British officers and ply them with the best hospitality they could offer. And if it was the mango season, a `mango dinner' was very much in order (dinner in a mango orchard, was followed by a variety of chilled mangoes served in great style). At one such party in Kakori, stung by the remark of a British officer regarding the coarse texture of Seekh Kabab, the host, the late Nawab Syed Mohammad Haider Kazmi summoned his rakabdars, hakims and attars the very next day and asked them to evolve a more refined variety of the Seekh Kabab. Ten days of incessant research and design efforts resulted in the now famous `Kakori Kababs' which were as far as perfection could go. The mince for the kabab was to be obtained from no other part but the `Raan ki Machhli' (tendon of the leg of mutton) and rawaz or animal fat was replaced by khoya, black pepper by white pepper and a brand new mix of powdered spices which still remains a closely guarded secret added to the perfect blend. And of course, the Nawab invited the same officer again and presented the new version of the Seekh Kabab and needless to say it met with great applause. Since then the Seekh Kababs of Kakori became famous by word of mouth and even today, though cooked elsewhere, are known as `Kakori Kababs'.

Note: Kokori Kababs are grilled on a specially designed barbecue, on slow charcoal fire.
 

Gulnaar Kababs

The Gulnaar Kabab is a gourmet's delight. The blending of tomatoes with spices and chicken, with a garnish of red rose petals is one of the most aesthetic dishes of the bawarchis of Awadh.

Nehari Khaas

The richness of Awadh Cuisine is not only in terms of the ingredients used but also the variety in cuisine. If some dishes taste good owing to the rich flavour of pure ghee and cream, some are incomparable though they may be cooked in the humble mustard oil. Mustard oil is a common cooking medium in north India. The mustard plant grown extensively in these parts is harvested in February and March. In Awadh, even the mustard oil, extracted from the best quality of mustard seeds, is heated in large cauldrons till it smokes. Then it is passed through muslin cloth to remove any impurities. This oil is then collected and sealed in large earthenware pots or urns and buried in the earth, preferably under the shade of a tree or a cool place. It is left to mature for a period of 9 to 10 months, i.e. through the rainy season so that the oil is further cooled when the rain water seeps into the ground. Then it is dug up and is ready for use. The long period of underground storage transforms the oil to a granular texture which is used for cooking purposes. It has a mild flavor unlike the pungent unseasoned mustard oil, and is also less hot. Mustard oil is used in the cooking of curries and even dry vegetables. The Nehari is invariably cooked in mustard oil and is a hot favorite of all the princes and paupers, the high and low, the rich and poor. The word `Nehari' is derived from `Nehar' or fasting and is a popular breakfast item with the Muslim populace. It is generally had after the first namaz of the day. Nehari originally, is beef, braised and then stewed overnight, further prepared in the morning and eaten with kulchas. The recipe for the Nehari, interestingly, is also derived from a Hakimi Nuskha and it is especially suited to the body constitution in the winter months as it keeps the body warm. For the plebian it is still common practice to start the day with nehari kulcha as it is a sumptuous meal and can sustain one till dusk. Now many Muslim families use mutton instead of beef for Nehari but the street ships of old Lucknow still serve Nehari prepared from beef. In the old city of Lucknow, strategically located opposite a mosque near Akbari Gate is the famous eatery of Rahim which has been dishing out the best Nehari for the past five generations. Haji Zubair presently in charge of the family business gets the masala powder prepared in bulk under personal supervision, using the family secret of generations, in which he claims, are incorporated 23 herbs and spices. Even now a soup plate full of Nehari and Kulcha can be had for Rs. 7.50, equivalent to about 500 quality calories of tonic food!

The recipe for Nehari given here is from the house of Rahim adapted to mutton, in keeping with popular taste in this region.

Prescription of the `Hakims' or practitioners of Unani medicine.

Nargisi Kofta

A very interesting aspect of Awadh cuisine is the inspiration it draws from a myriad sources - seasons and celebrations, flora and fauna, personalities, poetry and colour. In Urdu poetry one finds frequent references to the "Narcissus-like eyes" (Nargisi aankhen) of the beloved. And sure enough, the bawarchis of Awadh designed the Nargis Kofta, extending the simile to the dastarkhwan! The choice of egg for this dish was most appropriate. The Nargisi Kofta is essentially a hard boiled egg, wrapped in mince and deep fried, when halved lengthwise it resembles the eye! Purists go to the length of selecting eggs which are more slim than round to get the perfect shape!

Patili Kabab

Awadh is home to a vast variety of kababs. They differ in shape and size, the kind of meat used in the method of cooking involved. Contrary to the general notion that kababs are either barbecued or griddle fried, in this region, even the patili or deep copper or brass vessel is used for making kababs. This particular kabab is prepared especially well by Begum of Kurki who still maintains high standards of gastronomy. We were fortunate enough to partake of her hospitality and were plied with a variety of dishes which are now, more or less, extinct in this region. This kabab is served as one whole mass on the plate and no in several individual pieces. The cooking of mince on slow fire with ghee and spices infuses the meat with a subtle aroma, and the superbly soft texture of the kabab makes partaking of it a pleasurable experience!

Pasanda Kababs

The raan or mutton offers numerous possibilities for the daskarkhwan. The Pasanda Kabab is one such mouth watering preparation. The pasanda is a two inch square boneless cut flattened out by beating with the blunt side of knife. It can either be skewered or cooked in a vessel. The latter method is more common in Lucknow.

Shab Deg

Over two hundred years ago, in the early 18^th century, Kashmiri families came down the mountain valley to seek fame and fortune in the rich plans below. Those were the days of the decline of the Mughal Empire, and it was not surprising that the glory of Awadh pulled them towards Lucknow. A number of Kashmiris came to settle in the capital of Awadh. They brought with them the scent of saffron, the cups of kahwa and their celestial cuisine. Truly, the cooking of "Shab Deg" in winter, for the Nawab in Awadh, became not only a celebration of winter, but a reminder of the bond with that land which is oft referred to as heaven on earth:

"Agar firdaus bar ru-yi-zamin ast,

Hamin ast, u hamin ast, u hamin ast."

If on earth be an Eden of bliss,

It is this, it is this, none but this.

Even to this day, the fondness for the Kashmiri cuisine has not waned. Ask any old native of Awadh Shah Deg and you will see his eyes brim with nostalgia, and he laments the dying of the art of cooking this sublime dish. "Shab Deg" is a beautiful blend of whole turnips, Kashmiri ver, mutton balls and spices cooked in a `deg' through the night or "shub". The treatment of turnips with saffron, the special Kashmiri vers brought all the way from Kashmir with the distinctive aroma of saffron and Kashmiri onions, and the koftas, cooked on the slow fire in a sealed deg till the break of dawn, lend this dish its distinguished status. The culinary skill of a cook in preparing this dish lies in the deftness with which all the koftas (mutton balls) and turnips are made to look like one another and that they are cooked to the perfect texture. Apart from the carefully crafted ingredients, pieces of mutton or game birds are also cooked in the gravy.

Note : Kashmiri ver is a doughnut-shaped cake of ground spices with a strong and pungent aroma. Ask any Kashmiri woman for the recipe and she turns evasively coy; "Well, you see, I don't actually make it myself," she says cagily. "My mother-in-law sends just a little at a time". Ver comes in the form of a thin, hard cake with a hole in its center. It can contain garlic and `praan' (Kashmir onion a strange cross between a spring onion or scallion and a shallot) for Muslims, asafetida and fenugreek for Hindus as well as lots of freshly ground red chilies, cumin, coriander, dried ginger, cloves, cardamom and turmeric. All these spices are ground, then made into a patty and is left to dry on wooden plants in the shade. Here it is turned over expertly many times until it is quite hard, after which it is strung and kept for the rest of the year. Small amounts are broken off as needed, crumbled and then sprinkled over many foods to give them a recognizably Kashmiri flavor. Sealed deg can be put in a very slow oven alternatively for 4-6 hours.

Zamin Doz

An old recipe for cooking fish is the `Zamin Doz Machhli' wherein a whole fish is stuffed with spices, sealed in an earthenware case, buried in the ground and cooked by placing cow dung cake fire on the ground above. Though it takes 6-8 hours to cook, it is worth the wait! In the days of yore, special earthenware cases were made to order by the kumhars (potters) according to the size and shape of the fish to be cooked. The case would fit the fish like a glove and moisture would be absorbed by it. The final product would have an extraordinary earthy flavour. As such luxuries are rare these days we thought of substituting the fish-shaped case with the easily available roti-dish or the flat curd dish.

Lucknowi Biryani

Though the formal menu of Awadh did not have any place for the Biryani as mentioned earlier, it was and still is popular for the informal meals. The method of cooking the Biryani is the `Dum Pukht' method which imparts a typical Awadh flavour to this rice preparation. Biryani literally means fried or `bhuna', and in this preparation, the rice is lightly fried before being cooked in the mutton stock. Hence the name, differentiating it from the pulao where the rice is parboiled.

Note : It can be cooked in a microwave or an oven by placing the partly cooked ingredients in a casserole and cooking at a slow temperature.
 

Zarda

Spring is the season of rejuvenation, of exultation and festivity. In India its celebration in the various regions has its own joyous flavour. In north India, more specifically, in Awadh `vasant' as it known, has a tradition of being celebrated with music and dance and of course to go along with the festivities. The wide expanse of the mustard fields-in garb of yellow are a treat for the eyes. In the days of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, who was a connoisseur of the fine arts, celebrations were done in style. A long procession of `Bajras' (barges) were taken out on the river Gomti. Dressed in yellow, to match the (color of nature) spring palette, men and women danced to the tune of Raga Vasant, and Raga Hindola. The river would be transformed to a rich yellow hue more aptly labeled as `Basanti'. The `Zarda' is a celebration of spring though its popularity transcends the seasons, even cooked during marriages or auspicious occasions, this sweet rice preparation is like a spring song!

Roomali Roti

The `Roomali Roti' is suggestive of the scarf or handkerchief like appearance of this bread. Shaped without rolling on a board and cooked on a convex iron griddle, this bread is very special to Awadh. The fine texture of the bread makes it an excellent accompaniment for delicate kebabs and kormas.

Sheermal

The `Sheermal', invented in Lucknow by an ace bread-maker by the name of Muhammadan, is a rich bread consisting mainly of flour, milk, fat and saffron. Though traditionally cooked in an iron tandoor, it can be cooked in a mahi tawa also by covering with a lid and applying heat from the top and bottom.

Kulcha

The Kulcha is a favorite accompaniment to the Nehari. The soft texture of this bread is good with curries.

Murg Mussallam

The `Murg Mussallam' (literally, means whole chicken) is one such delicacy perfected by the cooks of Awadh. It is quite common to cook this dish on ceremonial occasions as it lends a certain majesty to the dastarkhwan. And in this region the competence of a cook is gauged by his ability to cook this dish. The preparation of Murg Mussallam requires a good command over the blending of spices and knowledge of heat control. Purists prefer country chicken to the boiler for the cooking of any chicken dish, because they consider the farm chicken no match to the robust rooster even though the cooking time and processing is longer in the later case.